The Muses: Euterpe and Calliope

The Muses Euterpe (muse of music and lyric poetry) and Calliope (muse of epic poetry) appear here as part of a larger program Orazio Gentileschi executed for Charles I's English court. These allegorical figures, now in the Royal Collection, were created during Gentileschi's English period (1626–1639), when he was employed by the king as a court painter — one of the most prestigious positions available to an Italian Baroque master. Charles I was an exceptionally refined collector who assembled an extraordinary court collection. Gentileschi's personifications of the Muses allowed him to deploy his elegant female figure painting in a secular, learned context: young women as embodiments of artistic and intellectual virtues. The Royal Collection's coherent group of Gentileschi canvases from this period offers an unusual opportunity to study a sustained program by a major Baroque master.

Oil on canvas with Gentileschi's characteristically smooth, luminous surface. The two muses are depicted with attributes appropriate to their domains: Euterpe with a flute or other musical instrument, Calliope with a book or epic text. Drapery color and arrangement create visual distinction between the two figures while the unified lighting scheme holds them together.